Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi Asks Indonesian President to Stop Execution of Two Men

Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi has written a letter to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, in hopes of swaying him to stop the impending execution of two Australian men in their prison system. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Iommi joins the many international appeals urging the Indonesian president to save the lives of the two convicts.

Australian nationals Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were convicted of attempting to smuggle heroin into Indonesia and were sentenced to death in 2006. This week Chan and Sukumaran were transferred from a prison on the mainland to Nusakambangan island, also known as “execution island,” where they will face a firing squad. According to the AFP, they are just days away from being shot to death by a firing squad and were recently denied presidential clemency.

In his letter, Iommi writes that the two jailed men have transformed and appeals to Widodo’s forgiving nature to save the lives of the “now reformed men.” You can read the full letter below.

The President of lndonesia
3rd March 2015
Your Excellency, I am writing to appeal to you to grant clemency to Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.
I understand and respect your efforts to combat drug abuse in lndonesia, this is something that all countries are having to deal with.
lndeed, I have seen first hand the negative impacts that drugs can have on people and their families. That is why I understand your strong views on this issue. The lndonesian prison system has had great success in transforming Andrew and Myuran.
I appeal to you, as a forgiving man, to take note of their transformation. They are now reformed men who are making a positive difference to the lives of their fellow prisoners.
That they have been transformed so much is a real credit to the lndonesian authorities.
For this reason, I would ask that you stop the execution of Andrew and Myuran.
Please allow them to serve out life sentences where they contribute to the wellbeing of lndonesia and make good for the error of their previous ways. I do hope you will consider this personal appeal.
Yours sincerely,
Tony Iommi
Guitarist, Black Sabbath.